Internal-combustion engine



Oct. 16, 1928. 1,688,294

J. HALTENBERGER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 29, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l J 'JWIEH A gmuewfoz JZ/LEs HHLTENBEEGEP,

Oct. 16, 1928. 1,688,294 J. HALTENBERGER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE I Filed April 29, 192'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 2/ Elam u 21,

Oct. 16, 1928;

J. HALTENBERGER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 29, 192'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUIJES HALTENBERGER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T JULES -HALTEN- BERGER, INCORPORATED, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF IN- DIANA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed April 29, 1927. Serial No. 187,428.

This invention relates to sleeve-valve engines of the type in which the sleeve-valve is provided with driving mechanism which 1mparts to it a movement combining axial reciprocation and circumferential oscillatlon such that any point on the sleeve follows a closed curved path. One form of drive for imparting such a movement to the sleevens shown in my prior Patent No. 1,090,147 1s- Sued March '17, 1914.

In that patent, the sleeve is shown as being driven from an eccentric rotatable on an axis transverse to that of the sleeve, the movement of such eccentric being transmltted to the sleeve-valve through the medium of a connecting rod pivotally attached to the sleeve on an axis parallel to the sleeve axis. By this form of drive a movementhavlng both axial and rotary components is imparted to the sleeve in order to secure the opening and closing of theinlet and exhaust ports.

The form of drive illustrated in my pr1or patent above referred to operates satisfactorily; but its reciprocating parts are comparatively heavy, and when it 1s employed on a multi-cylinder engine 1n which the sleeve-valves respectively surround the engine pistons, it necessitates spacing of the engine cylinders a greater distance apart than would otherwise be necessary. It is the object of my invention to produce a sleevevalve' drive having light-weight reciprocat ng parts, such drive being of the general type shown in my prior patent and adaptable for use in multi-cylinder engines in which the distance between adjacent cylinders is reduced to a minimum. Another object of my invention is to produce sucha drive in which the sleeve-valve connecting rod is pivotally attached to. the sleeve on an axis located as close as practicable to the axis of the sleeve in order to secure a maximum circumferential movement of the sleeve with a given eccentric throw or to secure a minimum eccentric throw for a given circumferential movement of the sleeve. Still another object of my invention is to produce such a drive in which adequate bearing areas are provided for transmitting the thrust which results in axial movement of the sleeve. A further object of my invention is to provide a consection similar'to Fig. 1, but on an struction in which the sleeve and the parts which drive it may be quickly assembled and disassembled. A still further object of my invention is to produce a construction in which the sleeve is axially adjustable relative to the driving mechanism in order to obtain.

variations in valve timing or to correct any inaccuracies of manufacture.

I accomplish the above objects by providing in the engine embodying my invention a sleeve-valve operating shaft whlch, in a fourcycle engine, is driven from the crank shaft at half engine speed and which extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the cylinders. This operating shaft is provided with an eccentric crank for each of the sleeves, such sleeves being located in their respective engine cylinders. On each of these cranks I mount a connecting rod which is pivotally attached to the associated sleeve on an axis parallel to that of the sleeve so that rotation of the crank will produce both axial reciprocation and circumferential oscillation of the sleeve.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through a multi-cylinder engine on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 with some parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmental horizontal enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the lower end of one of the sleeves and its associated connecting rod; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55 of Fig. 6 showing a modified form of connecting rod; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the lower end of the sleeve and connecting rod shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is afragmental horizontal section generally similar to Fig. 1 but on a larger scale and illustrating another modification of my invention; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 7, showing in elevation the lower end of the sleeve; and Fig. 9 is a fragmental elevation of the end of the connecting rod embodied in the drive shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2-there are a plurality ofengine cylinders 10 each of which is provided with aslee'vevalve 11. Within each of the sleeve valves 7 each of the sleeves 11.

Mounted on each of the eccentrics 15 is a sleeveconnecting rod 18. which extends inward toward the cylinders and is pivotally attached to the associated sleeve on an axis parallel to that of such sleeve. In addition to being pivotally attached to its associated sleeve, each of the connecting rods 18 is so mounted in the sleeve that its position axially of the sleeve is fixed, in order that rotation of the operating shaft 15 through the eccentric 16 will impart to such sleeve a movement having both axial and circumferential components.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the sleeve 11 is provided with an outwardly extending boss 20 in which is a screw-threaded hole disposed parallel to the sleeve axis. The outer end of the boss 20 may be cut off so that its distance from the center of the screw-threaded hole is less than the radius of such hole, as is clear from Fig. 3. Further, the outer end of the boss 20 may be convexly curved concentric with the bore of the sleeve 11in order that such boss will clear the sleeve in the adjacent cylinder.

Adapted to be received in the screw-threaded hole in the boss 20 is a screw-threaded member 21, such member being flattened on opposite sides in order that it may be in serted laterally into the hole in the boss 20.. The connecting rod 18 is desirably bifurcated at its inner end, the ends of such bifurcations being provided with projections 23 adapted to be inserted in transverse holes in i a member 21. After the projections 23 are insertedin the transverse holes of the member 21, they may be permanently secured therein by being riveted as is c ear from Fi 4. i l h The connecting rod 18 after being secured to thethreaded member 21 ma be attached to the sleeve 11 by holding it in the dotted line position shown in Fi 3, inserting the threaded member 21 laterally into the hole in the boss 20 and rotating the sleeve to the fullline position shown in Fig. 3. A reversal of these steps will enable the connecting rod to be disconnected from the associated sleeve.

From the above description of the construction, it will be apparent that rotation of the operating shaft 15 will cause each of the sleeves 11 to move with both axial reciprocation and circumferential oscillation. The circumferential oscillation of each of the sleeves causes the axis of attachment of such sleeve and its associated connecting rod 18 to move longitudinally of the shaft 15, and some provision must be made for permitting such movement. To this end, I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 split bushings 25 mounted on each of the crank pins 16, such bushings being provided exteriorly with a spherical surface which mates with a complementarily' shaped surface in 'the associated connecting rod 18. This constructiompermits each connecting rod 18 to swing about a' vertical axis on its associated bushing 25, thus allowing for the longitudinal displacement of theinner end of the connecting rod in thecircumferential oscillation of the sleeve 11.

Another means for providing for longitudinal movement of the .inner end of the connecting rod 18- is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this construction, the connecting rod 18 is provided with an enlarged bearing portion 18' which receives the associated eccentric crank 16 of the bearing shaft 15. The bearing portion 18 is made shorter in length than the crank 16 in order that it may slide thereon as, circumferential oscillation of the associated sleeve 11 occurs.

In Figs. 5 and6 I have illustrated a modification of my invention in which another means is employed for attaching the connecting rod 18 to its associated sleeve. In this construction, the sleeve 11 is provided at its lower end with a projecting boss 28 which has extending through it a cylindrical hole parallel to the axis of the sleeve. The outer face of this boss 28 is convexly curved as is the corresponding face of'the boss 20, and the hole in the boss 28 may be spaced from such outer face a distance less than the radius of such hole as is clear from Fig. 5. The inner face of the connect-ing rod 18 is bifurcated and provided with projections 23 which are employed to attach to the connecting rod a cylindrical member 29 having its opposite faces fiat in order that it may be inserted laterally into the hole in the boss 28.

To provide for the necessary thrust connection between the sleeve lland the connecting rod 18, the member 29 is provided intermediate its ends with a laterally extending flange 30 which is received in a transverse groove 31 in the boss 28. To assemble the connecting rod 18 and the associated sleeve 11, the rod is held in the dotted-line position shown inFig. 5, and the member 29 is inserted into the hole in the boss 28, the flange 30 at the same time entering the groove 31 which has a depth suflicient to permit such movement. In making the groove 31 of this depth, it may communicate with the interior of the sleeve 11 (as it doesin the construction shown m Fig. 5) but this is not objectionable. After the member 29 is inserted into the boss 28 with the connecting rod 18 in the dottedline position shown in Fig. 5, the connecting rod is revolved about the axis of the member Hit! 29 to the full-line position shown in Fig. and is then attached to theassociated crank 16 of the operating shaft 15. The connecting rod 18 may be mounted on its associated crank either by the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or by that shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

A still further form of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. In this. construction, I employ a sleeve connecting rod 35 having its upper and lower faces plane and parallel, such connecting rod being received in the space between two outwardly projecting bosses 36 on the lower end of the sleeve 11. The bosses 36 have extending through them alined holes parallel to the axis of the sleeve. The connecting rod 35 is provided on its upper and lower faces with alined vertically extendingprojections 37. In the outer faces of the bosses 36, I provide a slot communicating with the vertical holes in such bosses, such slot having a width slightly greater than the diameter of the bosses 37 in order that such bosses may be inserted laterally into the holes in the boss 36. The bosses 37 are made of smaller diameter than the holes in which they are received. and after they are in place in such holes. bushings 33 are slipped over them, such bushings having an external diameter substantially equal to that in the holes in the bosses 36 and an in ternal diameter substantially equal to that of the projections 37. The bushings 38 may be held in place by means of screws 39 screwthreadedly mounted in the bosses 36. The connecting rod 35 may be attached to its associated operating crank 16 either by the method illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or by that shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In all the various modifications I have illustrated and described, the interconnection of the sleeve and its connecting rod is provided by a pin rigid with the connecting rod, such pin being insertable into its hole in the sleeve-boss by lateral movement through an I opening provided in the boss. In all the structures shown, the bearing surfaces on the connecting rod which transmit axial thrusts are located within the axial limits of the sleeve-boss. This is of advantage in case it is necessary (as in thestructure shown in Figs. 5 and 6) to provide an opening through the sleeve; for by leaving the thrust surfaces below the upper axial limit of the boss, such opening is low enough not to interfere with the action of the piston. Further, the reciproeating parts of the drive are relatively light in weight, thus decreasing inertia forces. I

The modification of my invention shown in Fi gs. 1 to 4 inclusive has an advantage over other forms in that the sleeve may be raised or lowered relative to the sleeve-connecting rod to correct for inaccuracies of manufacture or to vary the valve timing.

All the structures which I have illustrated and described have a particular advantage in connection with the manner in which the parts are arranged to sustain the effect of the verable arrangement of interengaging surfaces provided on the rod and sleeve. In the construction illustrated in my prior patent and in similar arrangements where the pin and sleeve connecting-rod are not rigid with eachother, there inevitably occurs a certain play or lost motion between these parts as a result of the alternate upward and downward forces exerted onthe end of the rod by the eccentric 16. Because of-this play, the effect of the force exerted by the eccentric is taken be, tween the horizontal engaging faces of the rod and the boss on the sleeve. The continual reversal ofthese forces results in time in a spreading of the boss flanges which is avoided in my structure by having the pin rigid with the connecting-rod.

.I claim as my invention 1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston. a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an

eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin ri id with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co-operating surfaces for.

in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co operating surfaces for transmitting thrusts axially of said sleeve.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder ofthe rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co-operating surfaces for transmitting thrusts axially of .said sleeve, the hole in said boss communicatin with an exterior face of said boss throug an opening through which said pin may be laterally passed into and out of such hole, such opening having a width less than the diameter of such hole.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co-operating surfaces for transmitting thrusts axially of said sleeve,

the hole in said boss communicating with an exterior face of said boss through an opening through which said pin may be laterally passed into and out of such hole.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston recip rocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, 9. boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co-operating surfaces for transmitting thrusts axially of said sleeve, the hole in said boss communicating with an exterior face of said boss through an opening through which said pin may be laterally passed into and out of such hole, such opening having a width less than the diameter of such hole, and said pin having a diameter substantially equal to that of the hole in said boss and being reduced in thickness transversely of the connecting rod to permit its passage throu h such opening.

6. In an internal com ustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting' rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said pin having one or more laterally projecting flanges adapted to be received in grooves in said boss.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co-operating surfaces for transmitting thrust-s axially of said sleeve, the hole in said boss communicating with an exterior face of said boss through an opening through which said pin may be laterally passed into and out of such hole, said pin having one or more laterally projecting flanges adapted to be received in grooves in said boss.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein. a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said pin having a plurality of laterally projecting flanges adapted to be received in grooves in said boss, said flanges and grooves being disposed helically.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co-operating surfaces for transmitting thrusts axially of said sleeve, the hole in said boss communicating with an exterior face of said boss through an opening through which said in may be laterally passed into and out ot such hole,

said pin having a plurality of laterally projecting flanges adapted to be received in grooves in said boss, said flanges and grooves being disposed helically.

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, alpiston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod and boss having co-operating surfaces for transmitting thrusts axially of said sleeve, said connecting rod having a universal connection with said eccentric whereby it may swing relatively thereto about an axis parallel to the axis of said sleeve.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, a boss on said sleeve, said boss being provided with a hole, parallel to the sleeve axis, and a sleeve connecting rod for connecting said sleeve and said eccentric, said connecting rod including a pin rigid with the remainder of the-rod and receivable in the hole in said boss, said connecting rod having a universal connection with said eccentric whereby it may swing relatively thereto about an axis parallel to the axis of said sleeve.

12. In an internal combustion engine, the

and twenty-seven.

combination of acylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a sleeve-valve surrounding said piston, a rotatable valve-operating shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, and a connecting rod mounted on said eccentric and pivotally attached to said sleeve, said sleeve and connecting rod-being relatively adjustable axially of the sleeve.

13. In an internal combustion engine, a sleeve valve, an operating shaft therefor, an

the sleeve.

In witness whereof, I'have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 25th day eccentric on said shaft, and a connecting rod mounted on said eccentric and pivotally atof April, A. D. one thousand nine hundred JULES HALTENBERGER. 

